1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for image forming, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for image forming capable of effectively replenishing developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a toner replenishing device is known for replenishing toner to a developing unit in an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a facsimile and a printer. This toner replenishing device has a replaceable toner container and replenishes toner in the toner container into a developer replenishing path of the developing unit. With this toner replenishing device, at the time the toner in the container is used up, the empty toner container is replaced by a new toner container filled with toner.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 20, a known toner replenishing device has a movable member 112 such as a screw or a spring coil within a toner container 111. This toner replenishing device drives a rotating shaft 112a of the movable member 112 to convey toner in the toner container 111 toward a discharge port 111a through which the toner is replenished into a developer replenishing path.
Also, as illustrated in FIG. 21, another known toner replenishing device employs a cylindrical toner container, called a screw bottle 211, which is formed with a spiral protrusion 212 along the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface. This toner replenishing device drives the screw bottle 211 to convey toner in the screw bottle to a discharge port 211a through which the toner is replenished into a developer replenishing path.
However, when the movable member is employed in the toner replenishing device, the movable member must be assembled in the toner container, causing an increase in a cost for replacing the toner container. Also, since the movable member is driven by a power source external to the toner container, the toner container is formed with an opening for a power transmission member. Therefore, a sealing member is also required for sealing the opening, thereby resulting in a complicated structure of the toner container. Likewise, when the screw bottle is employed, the spiral protrusion must be formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof, and a complicated structure of the toner container is inevitable.
To address the problems mentioned above, the present inventors had developed a toner replenishing device which uses a toner container which is simple in structure and low in cost, without a movable member or spiral protrusion, and can replenish toner in the toner container into a developing apparatus. This toner replenishing device uses a toner container in the shape of rectangular solid, for example, which is simple in structure and low in cost, and includes a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the toner container such that the toner in the container moves toward a discharge port formed in the toner container. In this toner replenishing device, the toner gradually moves toward the discharge port by the action of an accelerated reciprocation and inertia generated in the toner in the toner container, and is eventually discharged from the discharge port.
The foregoing toner replenishing device can solve problems such as a complicated structure of the toner container, and an associated increase in cost for replacing the toner container. However, if the toner container is made of a rigid material which does not permit a change in volume of the container, the following problem arises in recovering used toner containers associated with the replacement of toner containers. Specifically, used or empty toner containers are recovered by a manufacturer from users, and recycled for reuse or discarded by incineration. If toner containers are made of rigid materials, the toner containers are bulky, and therefore have a low transport efficiency and a high distribution cost. Also, for transporting newly produced toner containers to locations to be filled with toner, similar disadvantages are experienced.
It should be noted that the foregoing problems arise not only in toner replenishing devices having a toner container for containing toner to be replenished to developing units of image forming apparatuses but also in any powder replenishing apparatus which has a replaceable powder container for replenishing powder in the powder container to an apparatus which requires supplementary powder.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems, and its first object is to provide a powder replenishing device for use with a simple and low cost powder container, which is capable of satisfactorily replenishing powder and reducing a distribution cost for the powder container.
Also, a second object of the present invention is to provide a developing apparatus and an image forming apparatus which are capable of reducing a cost for replacing a developer container and performing satisfactory developing by incorporating a developer replenishing device for use with a simple and low cost developer container to satisfactorily replenish a developer and reduce a distribution cost for the developer container.
The present invention provides a novel powder replenishing device for replenishing powder into an associated apparatus which requires supplementary powder. In one example, a novel powder replenishing device includes a replaceable powder container and a reciprocating mechanism. The replaceable powder container is made of a material which allows a change in volume for containing powder replenished to the apparatus. The powder container has a powder discharge port for discharging the powder on one side wall near one end thereof. The reciprocating mechanism is configured to reciprocate the powder container such that the powder moves toward the discharge port.
The powder container, especially the powder discharge port, may include a rigid member engaged therewith or may be partially made of a rigid material.
The present invention provides another novel powder replenishing device for replenishing powder into an associated apparatus which requires supplementary powder. In one example, a novel powder replenishing device includes a replaceable powder container and a reciprocating mechanism. The replaceable powder container is made of a material which allows a change in volume for containing powder replenished into the apparatus. The powder container has an inner container formed with a powder discharge port for discharging the powder on one side wall near one end thereof and a cover container made of a rigid material for covering the inner container except for the discharge port. The reciprocating mechanism is configured to reciprocate the powder container such that the powder moves toward the discharge port.
The reciprocating mechanism may reciprocate the powder container with the powder discharge port oriented downward in the vertical direction.
The above-mentioned one side wall may be inclined such that the powder in the powder container falls toward the powder discharge port.
In the above-mentioned powder replenishing device, a magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container advancing with respect to a direction in which the powder moves to the powder discharge port is stopped is larger than the magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container retracting with respect to the direction is stopped. That is, the inertia of the powder in the container advances the powder in an advancing direction toward said powder discharge port, while the container is moving in the advancing direction.
The reciprocating mechanism may include an urging mechanism, a pressively-moving mechanism, a press releasing mechanism, and a stopper. The urging mechanism is configured to urge the powder container to the advancing direction. The pressively-moving mechanism is configured to pressively move the powder container to the retracting direction against an urging force of the urging mechanism. The press releasing mechanism is configured to release the powder container from the movement forced by the pressively-moving mechanism. The stopper is configured to come in contact with the powder container moving in the advancing direction to stop the powder container.
In the above-mentioned powder replenishing device, a magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container retracting with respect to a direction in which the powder moves to the powder discharge port is stopped is larger than the magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container advancing with respect to the direction is stopped. That is, the inertia of the powder in the container advances the powder in an advancing direction toward said powder discharge port, while the container is moving in the retracting direction. The above-mentioned reciprocating mechanism may include an impact applying mechanism configured to repeatedly apply the powder container with an impact force such that the powder container is moved in the retracting direction and a moving mechanism configured to move, in an advancing direction, the powder container which has been moved in the retracting direction.
The moving mechanism may include an elastic member disposed between the powder container and a device body in the retracting direction.
The elastic member may include a leaf spring oscillably attached to the device body.
The elastic member may include an elastic foam.
The impact applying mechanism may includes a leaf spring oscillably attached to the device body and a moving mechanism configured to move toward the powder container by a resilient force of the leaf spring to collide with the powder container, the moving mechanism being supported by the leaf spring.
The above-mentioned powder replenishing device may further include an impact damping mechanism configured to mitigate the impact force to the device body.
The above-mentioned powder replenishing device may further include a container deforming mechanism configured to deform the powder container associated with the reciprocation.
The above-mentioned powder replenishing device may further include a container deforming mechanism configured to deform the inner container associated with the reciprocation.
The container deforming mechanism may deform the powder container near the powder discharge port.
The container deforming mechanism may deform the inner container near the powder discharge port.
The container deforming mechanism may reciprocate the powder container with the powder container partially fixed to the device body.
The above-mentioned powder replenishing device may further include a container holding member configured to reciprocate together with the powder container while supporting the powder container for reciprocation. In this case, the powder container is movable relative to the container holding member in directions of the reciprocation and the container deforming mechanism is configured to collide the powder container with the container holding member associated with the reciprocation.
The inner container may be movable relative to the cover container in directions of the reciprocation, and the container deforming mechanism may be configured to collide the inner container with the cover container associated with the reciprocation.
The powder container may include an air filter for passing air and blocking powder.
The inner container may include an air filter for passing air and blocking powder.
The powder container may have an external shape of rectangular solid.
The present invention further provides a novel method of replenishing powder into an associated apparatus which requires supplementary powder. In one example, a novel method of replenishing powder into an associated apparatus which requires supplementary powder includes the steps of providing and reciprocating. The providing step provides a replaceable powder container for containing powder replenished to the apparatus. The powder container is made of a material which allows a change in volume and having a powder discharge port for discharging the powder on one side wall near one end thereof. The reciprocating step reciprocates the powder container such that the powder moves toward the discharge port.
The powder container may include a rigid member engaged therewith.
The powder container may be partially made of a rigid material.
The present invention further provides a novel method of replenishing powder into an associated apparatus which requires supplementary powder. In one example, a novel method of replenishing powder into an associated apparatus which requires supplementary powder includes the steps of providing and reciprocating. The providing step provides a replaceable powder container for containing powder replenished into the apparatus. The powder container is made of a material which allows a change in volume and having an inner container formed with a powder discharge port for discharging the powder on one side wall near one end thereof and a cover container made of a rigid material for covering the inner container except for the discharge port. The reciprocating step reciprocates the powder container such that the powder moves toward the discharge port.
The reciprocating step may reciprocate the powder container with the powder discharge port oriented downward in the vertical direction.
The one side wall may be inclined such that the powder in the powder container falls toward the powder discharge port.
In the above-mentioned method, a magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container advancing with respect to a direction in which the powder moves to the powder discharge port is stopped is larger than the magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container retracting with respect to the direction is stopped.
The reciprocating step may include the steps of urging, pressively moving, releasing, and stopping. The urging step urges the powder container to the advancing direction. The pressively moving step moves the powder container to the retracting direction against an urging force by the urging step. The releasing step releases the powder container from the movement forced by the pressively moving step. The stopping step stops the powder container moving in the advancing direction.
In the above-mentioned method, a magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container retracting with respect to a direction in which the powder moves to the powder discharge port is stopped is larger than the magnitude of acceleration produced when the powder container advancing with respect to the direction is stopped.
The reciprocating step may include the steps of repeatedly applying the powder container with an impact force such that the powder container is moved in the retracting direction and moving, in an advancing direction, the powder container which has been moved in the retracting direction.
The moving step may move the powder container with an elastic member disposed between the powder container and a device body in the retracting direction.
The elastic member may include a leaf spring oscillably attached to the device body.
The elastic member may include an elastic foam.
The applying step may include the steps of providing a leaf spring oscillably attached to the device body and moving toward the powder container by a resilient force of the leaf spring to collide with the powder container.
The above-mentioned method may further include a step of mitigating the impact force to the device body.
The above-mentioned method may further include a step of deforming the powder container associated with the reciprocation.
The above-mentioned method may further include a step of deforming the inner container associated with the reciprocation.
The deforming step may deform the powder container near the powder discharge port.
The deforming step may deform the inner container near the powder discharge port.
The deforming step may reciprocate the powder container with the powder container partially fixed to the device body.
The above-mentioned method may further include the steps of providing a container holder for reciprocating together with the powder container while supporting the powder container for reciprocation and the deforming step collides the powder container with the container holder associated with the reciprocation. In this case, the powder container is movable relative to the container holder in directions of the reciprocation.
The inner container may be movable relative to the cover container in directions of the reciprocation, and the deforming step collides the inner container with the cover container associated with the reciprocation.
The powder container may include an air filter for passing air and blocking powder.
The inner container may include an air filter for passing air and blocking powder.
The powder container may have an external shape of rectangular solid.
The present invention further provides a novel developing apparatus. In one example, a novel developing apparatus includes a developer replenishing device for replenishing a developer into a developer replenishing unit in the developing apparatus. This developer replenishing device includes a replaceable developer container and reciprocating mechanism. The replaceable developer container is made of a material which allows a change in volume for containing developer replenished to the apparatus. The developer container has a developer discharge port for discharging the developer on one side wall near one end thereof. The reciprocating mechanism is configured to reciprocate the developer container such that the developer moves toward the discharge port.
The present invention further provides a novel image forming apparatus. In one example, a novel image forming apparatus includes a developing unit and a developer replenishing device. The developing unit develops a latent image formed on an image carrier. The developer replenishing device replenishes a developer into the developing unit. The developer replenishing device includes a replaceable developer container and reciprocating mechanism. The replaceable developer container is made of a material which allows a change in volume for containing developer replenished to the developing unit. The developer container has a developer discharge port for discharging the developer on one side wall near one end thereof. The reciprocating mechanism is configured to reciprocate the developer container such that the developer moves toward the discharge port.